BIG CRICKET

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2349, 4 January 1915, Page 3

BIG CRICKET

WELLINGTON'S HUGE SCORE ,'. MIDLANE 222 NOT OUT EAST CRACK SHATTERS RECORDS. BRILLIANT BATTING. One of the finest batting performances accomplished in New Zealand representative cricket was registered on the Basin Reserve on Friday and Saturday by Wellington against Otago. Wellington's first innings finished on Saturday afternoon with the total at 498, although atone stage on the previous days four wickets . were down for 78: ,The recovery set in, of course, when Midlane and Bray took hold of the bowling and entered upon a partnership which yielded 185. Wellington is certainly a fine batting side, and it is worth noticing that the huge total was compiled \ with scarcely any assistance from Hiddleston and Burton, two of the best,bats in tbe team. The feature of the match haß Been Midlane's wonderful innings of 222 not out. He played perfect cricket, and batted with the greatest confidence from the first ball of the contest. He treated J. N' ; Crawford with the same assurance as he treated every other bowler in the Otago team, and be did not give anything which could be called * chance'till he was 219 on. Then he i tapped something which the wicketkeeper, might have reached—if his arm had been a few feet longer. Record-Breaking Performance. , Midlane went in at the beginning of the innings, and defied the bowling for five solid hours, despite the misty ram on the first day and the baking sun on the second. En route to his great achievement he encountered previous records, .'; and left them broken by. the way. His first feat was the century, which he reached on Friday afternoon. That put him in the van of Wellington representative century makers, for he had then provided three of our thirteen centuries. When he collared the 150 mark he had beaten his own best score' in representative ' cricket. Still he pounded the bowling, and his 166 saw him lower W. Redgrave's record scoro of 165 for : Wellington representative cricket. :When, he pushed on into the "eighties/', the question ; was: Will he get the double century. His figures crept' up 'till he required only seven •runs to make the 200. Here he dwelt awhile."' Crawford was bowling well, and runs were hard to get. _ Moreover, Paterson was getting'the big share of the trundling. The crowd grew anxious. At length a single came, and then a beautiful drive to the boundary. Two more—but .eventually these came.

Approaohlrig the Climax. There was something ahead to/be overhauled yet. In- his hey-day Ken Tucker had happened along to the Basin once for a cup fixture, and had made 221 not out. This stood as the Wellington record, though a few weeks ago C. G. Wilson had equalled it in a Wednesday Cup match. Midlane set out to eclipse the big number, and, as he drew near, it begau to strike people that oven if the East champion was equal to the task there was another element to be considered—only Paterson and Southall remained to continue the innings with him. Paterson was ting well, but might go at any moment. Midlane was at tho door of the record when Paterson succumbed, and Southall went in to face Crawford. _Southall survived long enough for Midlane to reach the 222 he needod to achieve the distinction of having made, the largest score in Wellington cricket,' but was howled immediately afterwards, and Midlane carried his bat. The applause and tho congratulations Midlane received from the clamouring crowd as be made his way to the pavilion was warm enough to extend as a welcome to the Allies on their return from Berlin;

Some Tall Figures. , Midlane's. other centuries in representative cricket were made against Auckland (102), and against Otago (149). It seems a • littlft strange that Otago should suffer a his hands twice, and on the earlier occasion (about ten years ago) Richardson made 113 in the same match. ; This season, in cup and representative cricket Midlane has made 734 runs. ; His club average is 211.5, his representative average 155.5,: and liis general average 183.5. _ Of the other batsmen. Robinson and Brice gave delightful exhibitions of big hitting, and Patterson played a most useful innings. The Otago-team have shaped badly at the wickets so far, and look likely to receive a substantial defeat. ' The Wellington attack is good, and the fielding excellent. The match will bo resumed at 2 o'cock this afternoon. . • - . ' Brloe Bangs Boundaries. The match was advertised to commence at 11 a.m., but the public were kept waiting half an hour before a start was made. . The not-out men, Midlane and Brico. went to.the crease, and Eckhoff ■ opened the attack. The batsmen got busy without delay, and twelve runs were secured off the first over, including a boundary hit by Midlane, who was batting with great confidence. Brice began nicely, and one of his opening strokes was a terrific drive which sent Crawford well through the boundary ropes. In the third over Brice, whose backing-up consisted of getting nearly half-way down the wicket, was caught napping, and only a desperate retreat enabled him to _ get back to his crease in the .nick of time. A couple of balls later he took a similar risk, and this time got his bat over the chalk-mark just in advance of a fast rotum, which scattered his wicketsl He then gave a hot chance to Sied<serg at point, but a good attempt to hold it one hand failed. Siedeberg had an excellent- chance of catching Brice a while later, but dropped him badly. Scoring was so free at the commencement that the batsmen added thirty in the first ten minutes, and the 330 mark was passed after half an hour's batting—an addition of over 60 to the total. Brice's batting became very free after the.first few overs, and his j. first forty included six boundaries and a number which almost reached the l ropes before being stopped. One smite ; was within inches of leaving the ground, land another (off Alloo) quitted the Basin on a flight down Cambridge Terrace. The big Petone cricketer woe scoring much faster than Midlane, and he put up 58 while his partner was making 21. • Brice was .scoring attractively with that powerful, easy stroke which has frequently marked him as a batsman who sweeps up S'xe* and boundaies without effort. Robinson's Big Hitting. With 380 oh the board, Midlane, who got too far out of his crease m backing up Brice, had wonderful luck. in not being run out. Play had been in progress an hour when, with the total at 384, Brice lifted one off Siedeberg to Shepherd at mid-on, and was easily hold. Brice's 68 included 11 fours and one six. Tho partnership had yielded 119. Dickeon replaced him, and lasted ten' minutes. He made only two, but Midlane meanwhile added 13, and the score was raised to 399. Robinson came in and the crowd sat up to sob the fireworks. His second scoring stroke was a four, and ho next hit the ball skyward, and it landed near the fountain for six Then followed three consecutive fours off Crawford. The fourth century was left behind when the match (both days' nlav) was a little

over four hours' <Id. At 429 Robinson was beautifully taken, in the slips by Eckhoff off Siedeberg. His few minutes stay at tbe creaso had brightened the play immensely, and his 23 reads in detail thus—l, 4, 6, 4, 4, 4.

Midlane's Double Century—A Record. Wicket-keeper Paterson came 'to tbe assistance of Tiidlalie, who was nearing the double century. The pair played very steadily, and soon hoisted 450, at which stage Midlane got his 220. This had taken him a little over 4*- hours to make. The spectators warmly applauded his feat. When tbe. lunch .adjournment was taken at 1.15, the total stood lit 478, of which Midlane had made ZVO. Play was resumed shortly after two o'clock, and tbe first ball from Watson saw Midlane have a lite at the hands of the wicket-keeper. A few balls later Paterson was got l.b.w. by Watson. Soufiiall was the last man m, and he stayed long enough, to give Midlane a obance. of eclipsing the record in big cricket in Wellington. Midlane had just secured the necessary 222 when Southall was bowled by Watson, The innings had lasted five hours, and nad realised 498 runs.

Otago Commence Badly. Siedeberg and Eckhold opened Otago'* innings, and Eobinson got Eckhold s wicket with the first ball-one for none. Shepherd replaced his confrere, and played very freely. Ho made seventeen while Siedeberg was getting two, and looked' good for a handy score whon he hit one hard and high back along the wicket. Robinson jumped, and reached it down brilliantly. J.Vo wickets had fallen for 20 runs, and .Robinson had got both at a cost of only six runs. Next man to the wickets was Watson, and he assisted Siedeberg . to send 28 up in the first half-hour of the innings. • Then, without any addition to the total, Watson hit one to point, and ran down the pitch. Baker returned the ball fast to a»Tnek«A; keeper, and Paterson whipped the bails off while Watson was still struggling back in' a futile attempt, te regain his chalk-mark. At 34 Siedeberg was splendidlv caught in the slips by Mnt lane, off "Robinson. The fast bowler s ■ three wickets had cost 12 runs. Crawford followed. He was twenty minutes at tho wickets before he scored, but he had only made six when he played confidently to one from Hiddiestoue (who had replaced Southall), and found himself beaten and bowled by a wrongun *'. The fifth wicket had fallen with the "total at 65. Bell continued the innings with Bruges, who was batting well Sixty went''up ■ after an_nour6 batting, and 'Brice relieved Robinson. Brice kept the runs down well, and at 82 got Bruges to lift one to Hiddleston, who held tim safely. At 98 Gibbes took the ball from Hiddleston, sen? up the hundred with a brace ott the new bowler. Robinson was brought on again just before the tea adjournment, but no sepaartion was effected, and the respite- was taken with the score at, 102 for six wickets. Gibbes was taken off after he had bowled five overs at a cost of ten runs, and Bnce went on. • With the last ball, of his first over he bowled Galland with one of the finest deliveries of the match.

Visitors Fall, and Follow On. Alloo followed, and. had made a single when another swift return from Baker at point enabled Paterson to run him out The eighth wicket had fallen for 134 runs, and two runs later. Bnce bowled Bell, who had played a very useful innings for 26. , Chadwick and Eckhoff made the last stand. • Bnce quickly accounted for Eckhoff, and the inning's closed' for. 139. It had lasted two and a half hours. . . Requiring 359 to save an innings defeat, Otago followed on. Shepherd Land Siedeberg took strike, and in his third over Bribe got Shepherd's wicket with the score' at 21. Alloc (Shepherds successor) fell, to Brice in . the same over. Brice's two. wickets had cost ten runs. , Watson partnered ■ Siedeberg, and the score' was lifted to ,thirtynine, when Robinson came on to bowl. AVatson hit a two off him, and then the express bowler got. the batsman with a ball which dug his wicket clean out-of the ground; With three wickets down for 41 runs, stumps were drawn for the day.

Wellington.—First Innings. F. A. Midlane, not out 222 W Baker, b. Crawford ■'Q J. S. Hiddleston, 1.b.w., b. Craw- '_ ford v .... 5 W.E. L. Gibbes, b Crawford ...... I H. Burton, b. Crawford J W. Bray, b. Watson ....:.._..........., 8S Brice, c. Shepherd, b. Siedeberg 63 J E" W. Dickson, b; Crawford ... <s C. Eobinson, c. Eckhoff, b. Siede- . berg ; *o A. Patersbn, 1.b.w., b. Watson ... 24 T. Southall, h. Watson 1 Extras ....»'..... ■••• iJ

Total 498 Bowling Anaiysis.-Watson took three wickets for 13 runs; Crawford, nve for 149; Eckhoff, none for 87 -y Alloo none for 91; Siedeberg, two for 85; Eckhold, none for 12; Bell, none for 22 How the Wickets Fell. 1 2 3, 4 '5 6 7 8-9 10 54 70 76 78 265 384 399 429 489 498 •' Otago.—First Innings; H. S Siedeberg, c. Midlane, b. Bobinson :.:.......-;-. ••••- ° A.'Eckhold, b. Bobmson U 3. Shepherd, c. and b, Kobmson ... 17 H.'O. Watson, runout i J. S. Bruges; c. Hiddleston, : b. Brice .....' oo J. N. Crawford, b. Hiddleston ...... 6 R. Bell, b.'Brice■„. , 26 A. Galland, b..Brice '^ A.'P. Alloo, run out * C S. Chadwick, not out ' A. D. Eckhoff, b. Brice 0 Extras • "'"___ , 139 Bowling Analysis.-Robinson took three wickets for 31 runs; Southall, none for 30; Hiddleston, one for 34; Brice, four for 19; Gibbes, none for 10. '•' How the Wickets Foil. 1 2 3, 4 56 7 j! j> 10 "o 20 28 34 55 82 129 134 137 139 Otago.—Second Innings. Siedeberg, not out 13 Shepherd,'b. Brice •> Alloo, b. Brice . ••••• "■ Watson, b. Eobinson U Extras • JJ Three wickets for i'" x il Bowling Analysis.—Brice took two wick?ts for 13 runs; Southall, none for 6; Hiddleston, none for 12; and KODinson, one for 2. How the Wickets Fell. 12 3

21 32 41 PLUNKET SHIELD PINE BOWLING BY A; W. THOMAS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Auckland, January 3. The match for the Plunket Shield between Canterbury and Auckland cricket representative teams was continued on Saturday in perfect weather and before of 1500. Canterbury's first innings closed for 208, our runs behind Auckland's total The Auckland team commenced the second lnnintrs brightly, but the excellence of the bowling of A. W. Thomos, a "surpr.se packet," who was not tried on Inday, S steadied the play. With the exception of B. Rorspool, none of the first seven batsmen did well, although N C. Snedden and F. E. Mason gained double figures. Thomas and J. H. Bennett bowled unchanged in the early stazes in which there was more hitting thai scoring, both howlers sending down many maiden overs. Horspool's patient

innings of 59 did much to take the sting out of the bowling. When tho seventh wicket foil, all taken by Thomas at a cost of 51 runs, the total was 119. W. Brook-Smith' and O. Cummings then became associated, and they raised the score to 249 for the eighth wicket. Tho partnership added' 139, to which Brook-Smith contributed 65. Cummingß scored most of the 19 runs in the ninth wicket partnership, and his scor*; was 61. He carried his total to 73 before he was caught in the outfield, and Auckland's Innings closed for 286, and Canterbury thus required 291 to win. Thomas's great performance earned an ovation for him. Ho was kept on practically the whole innings, and even when he tired was more difficult to play ',han any of the other six bowlers tried. His average was reduced in' tbe closing stages of the innings; but even then his figures, eight wickets for 99 runs, will stand as the best in Plunket Shield matches for-many a day. He bowled 48 overs, 20 of which were maidens. Bennett also kept the runs down, and of 26 overs bowled by him 12 were maidens. Canterbury made 25 runs for no wickets before stumps were drawn. The'scores are:— '

Auckland. First innings •.'. • * 12 Second Innings. • L. G. Hemus, c. Carlton, b. Thomas 7 E. Horspool, c. Hickmott, b. Thomas •»• °% N. C. Snedden, 1.b.w., b. Thomas... 16 L. Taylor, b. Thomas * ¥. R. Mason, b. Thomas " B. V. Sale, Ih.vr., b. Thomas j 0. Dacre, t>. Thomas 4 G. Cummings, c. Wood*, b. Carlton ••-;•• v 1 1A W. Brook-Smith, o. Carlton, o. Bennett •-•• ™ R. Rountree, b. Thomas •• j* W. Harvie, not out .••■■ „» Extras . : ...-•• _°° Total •• '••• BOWLING ANALYSIS. Overs. Mdns. Bus. Wkts. Sandman v 8 2 40 0 Thomas v. 48 20 .9?. 8 Bennett 26 12 4o 1 Hickmott * ,1 lo i Carlton 22 10 43 1 Beal/ ..... •• 2 0; 10 0 Patrick .........-2 0 6 0 Canterbury.—First Innings. F. Woods, b. Snedden ..... •• \ 'H. B. Whitta, b. Harvie •■• 12 H. A. Bishop, st. Rountree, b. • , Taylor ~.; . ...1....-r "••••; 18 E. G, Hickmott, c. and b. Cummings ..-..,...».... do W. R. Patrick, c. Snedden, b. Har- . ■ vie . ■■■■■■■■■■ ■■••■ 1 ° C. E. Beal, c.and b. Snedden ...... 1 D. Sandman, c. Rountree, b. Sned- ■ T. Carlton,' c. Rountree, bl Sneddon 3 A. W. Thomas, c. Hemus, b. Snedden :,;..>...:...« . 41 J. H. Bennett, o. Hsmus, h. Cummings •• • ■]» C. Boxshall, not out . 11 Extras ..-•■• _f_ Total ;.......!..,..........»•••:• 208 BOWLING ANALYSIS. .■ Overs. Mdns. Rns. Wkts. Harvie 23 ' 2 61 2 Snedden ......... 26 ; 8 78 5 Cummings ...... 6 2 r & ? Taylor 3 ° .* 9 1 Canterburj'.—Second Innings. Beal, not out • ,Z Carlton, not out ll Extra •■•" l

Total for no wickets -5 WELLINGTON V. WAIRARAPA HOME TEAM WIN EASILY. The match between a Wednesday representative team and a Wairarapa team was concluded on Saturday atternoon, the result being an easy win for the Wellington team by 10. wicketa. Following'were the scores:— Wairarapa—First Innings. Barr, b. Smith • 10 Smart, b. Smith ........................ b Tunnicliffe, c. Harne, b. Smith ... ■ 0. Wilson ,b. Wame ~.........-•••; f° M'Cardle, c. Tweedy, b. Warno ... 15 Burnside, st. Mummery, b. Smith... I Baker,' b. Smith .: ;....••-. '." Ogier, b. ,Warno ........................ 4f V. Fairbrother, not out 3o Gaskin, b. Warne ".........: 0 F. Fairbrother, st. Mummery, b. Smith • • ■ < Extras ••• u

Total .."• ••••157 Bowling analysis—Warne took four wickets for 50 runs; Smith,, six for 81; Harris, none for 1; Dempsey, none for , Second Innings. V. Fairbrother, b. Harris 11 Barr, b.' Harris '..'.' 5 Smith, b. Harris • 0 Tunnicliffe, b. Hams 15 Wilson, c. and b. M'Mahon 11 M'Cardle, o. and b: Harris 24 Ogier, st. Warne, b. Harris 8 Burnside, st. Warne, b, Dempsey ■»" .31 Baker, b. Harris 0 Gaskin. b. Dempsey ...» Ji F. Fairbrother, not out 1 Extras .-• •••■• 9 Total :........... 139 Bowling analysis—V. Harris took seven wickets for 62 runs;, M'Mahon, one for 30; Smith,- nono fo 36; Dempsey, two for.1"; Tweedy, none for 1. ' WELLINGTON. First innings. >»••.■•• 273 Second innings. Dempsey, not out .....;.. 12 Warne, not out 15 Total for no wickets ..' 27 Owing to a number of players being out of town, no Wednosday cricket matches will be played this week. • INTER-STATE MATPH. By Meerarh—Frees Association—Oopyrieht (Rec. January 3, 3.35 p.m.) .. Melbourne, January 3. In tie inter-State match South Australia v.' Victoria, the latter in; their first innings made 400. . Matthews.contributed 65 and Souter 25. South Australia in the first innings have five wickets down for 265. Mayne made 30, Steele 85, Pellew (in), 72, and Willsmore (in), 30. •'.";■